With the Trump administration vowing to revoke the visas of thousands of international students across the United States in May, some international students report that it’s a “scary” time to be a college student in the United States.
“Being an international student in the U.S. today, it’s definitely scary,” said an undergraduate international student, who was granted anonymity for their personal safety due to fears of deportation and retaliation, to The Sun. “The idea that something as small as jaywalking or a parking ticket could lead to deportation is always in the back of my mind. College is supposed to be a time to make mistakes and grow, yet knowing even the tiniest misstep could ruin my future is paralyzing.”
Last spring, international students across the country were targeted by the federal government, often having Student and Exchange Visitor Information System records terminated over minor offenses. However, a large number of these terminations, which totaled more than 1,800 SEVIS terminations across 240 colleges and universities, were made without explanation.
Cornell itself saw 17 SEVIS terminations and at least 4 visa revocations, though SEVIS records have since been restored as the Department of Homeland Security creates a new system to review student records.
With recent changes to the visa application process, such as applicants being required to make their social media accounts public, concerns have risen among incoming international students regarding the application for an F-1 visa, which allows international students to study at U.S. universities, high schools or other educational institutions.
According to the U.S. Department of State, all applicants, regardless of country of origin, must “adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to ‘public’” in order to facilitate the Department’s vetting process.
When asked about how Cornell is assisting its international students with the new policies, Vice Provost for International Affairs Wendy Wolford explained in an email statement to The Sun that it has “extended flexibility in deferrals” of admission and has launched a global semester program for new students unable to schedule a visa appointment prior to the start of the academic year. Wolfold explained that students “could start their Cornell degree with one of our top three partners abroad” through this program.
Wolford also directed students to Cornell’s Supporting Our International Community website, which contains updates and resources to support international students through the visa process.
“We’ve seen temporary holds on student visas, more aggressive questioning during consulate and border interviews and far more rejections. I personally know people who were denied simply because of where their dad was born,” the anonymous undergraduate international student told The Sun.
When asked about how recent policies have affected the number of international students accepted to Cornell, a University spokesperson told The Sun that the number accepted has been “roughly the same” as in previous years. However, the spokesperson did acknowledge that the University has experienced a decline in the number of international graduate students.
“We have experienced some melt at the graduate level as students were worried about the visa application process or chose not to come to the U.S. because of the political climate,” Wolford wrote in an email statement to The Sun.
As international students face more scrutiny, some say they do not feel safe on campus.
“Seeing hateful comments or hearing certain rhetoric also takes a toll and makes you question your safety here,” the anonymous undergraduate international student told The Sun.
An anonymous graduate-level international student, who was granted anonymity on the basis of protecting their safety, called on the University to stand up to President Donald Trump on their behalf.
“I wish the University would do better and not just collaborate with this fascist government,” the student told The Sun. “The University should stand up to the tyranny and speak for all the students who got their visas revoked [or] attacked.”
Additionally, some international students feel that searching for a job in the United States has become increasingly difficult. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, the H-1B visa is a non-immigrant status awarded based on exceptional talent and merit in different fields like research, project development and with the recent changes to the H-1B visa that force employers to pay up to $100,000 when they sponsor an H-1B petitioner. This one-time fee poses an obstacle for international students, further complicating the job search process.
“Things change so quickly here, and I don’t want to build long-term plans around a process that could disappear next month,” the anonymous undergraduate international student told The Sun.
When asked about how Cornell is responding to changes to the H-1B visa, a University spokesperson told The Sun that it has hosted a “Visas After Graduation” webinar to help international students navigate long-term work options in the United States.
Additionally, the University works with Miller Mayer immigration attorneys to offer free consultations regarding immigration status issues for Cornell international students, faculty and staff.
“We have welcomed international students since we opened our doors in 1868,” Wolford wrote in an email statement to The Sun. “They are a core part of our academic community. We support them as we do all of our students — orientation, cultural resources, a service office for visa questions and documents.”
Update, Oct. 8, noon: Information about the fluctuating reported enrollment of international students has been clarified as a clerical error, and not a noted decline in international student enrollment. This data has thus been removed.
Zeinab Faraj is a member of the class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is the features editor on the 143rd Editorial Board and was the assistant sports editor of the 143rd Editorial Board. You can reach her at zfaraj@cornellsun.com.
Hussam Kher Bek is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a staff writer for the News department and can be reached at hkherbek@cornellsun.com.
